Winding down, IRFD 2015

This year's International Rock Flipping Day was quiet. While there was a good response before the actual day, few people reported in with findings, and Googling only turned up one other entry. Maybe people had the same problem finding good rocks as I had.

But we did find a few real gems!

First, did you know that we humans aren't the only ones flipping rocks? Anna, of The BlennyWatcher Blog, let goatfish do all the work for her, and just sat back and took video footage. Go see.

On the IRFD Facebook page, the first post showed a slug and a pupal case. (I think that's a moth inside.)

And Slow: Children at Nature Play went out with two kids and found a Dunn's salamander, and other critters. "So much fun!", she says.

The salamander. From the IRFD Facebook page.

In the comments on the Celebrate Science IRFD post, Dana Rau posted a Rock Flipping Day poem.

I lift your heavy door 

to find

busy you

on your way from

one side of your space

to the other. 

The surprising sunlight

curls you into

a spiral

to protect all those legs

and underparts. 

Between fight and flight

you choose

freeze

and hope

someone remembers

to shut the door

so you can get on

with your interrupted

business.

And that's about it. I found the beetle, and the ants and spider. And later on, down at the shore, I turned over a stone and crabs scuttled quickly out of sight. Except for one brave little guy; he was ready to take me on, defending his territory.

"Back off!"

"And I don't care how big you are, either!"

I think, unless there is a public outcry, this will be the last year I host the IRFD. If anyone is interested in taking it up, I'll be glad to participate, of course.